Published: 25 April 2024
More than 25 research organisations across the UK have today agreed to an environmental sustainability concordat.
The concordat supports the wider ambition set out by the UK Government to achieve net zero by 2050. Concordat signatories and supporters are committing to embed environmental sustainability into all research and innovation practices. Signatories include the NIHR. The concordat is hosted by Wellcome.
NIHR climate change and sustainability commitments
The concordat builds on the NIHR’s previous pledge to climate change and sustainability. The NIHR committed to engage in climate, health and sustainability research and capacity building. The NIHR also committed to reduce its and the wider research community’s carbon footprint.
The concordat represents a shared ambition for the UK to continue delivering cutting-edge research in a more environmentally responsible way. It recognises the critical role of research and innovation in understanding how the planet is changing. It recognises the role of research in creating solutions to these challenges.
Six priority areas
The concordat is aimed at all organisations in the research and innovation sector. Concordat signatories and supporters are calling on other organisations to join them. The ambition is to reduce harmful environmental impact from carrying out research.
Signatories agree to action six priority areas outlined in the concordat. This includes maintaining transparency about the environmental impacts of research output. It includes finding new climate-conscious, low-carbon approaches. There is an expected commitment from signatories to publicly share how they will deliver sustainability aims. Signatories are expected to publish annual summaries of progress.
Concordat signatories:
- NIHR
- Wellcome
- Bangor University
- British Academy
- Cancer Research UK (CRUK)
- Cranfield University
- John Innes Centre
- Keele University
- University College London (UCL)
- UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)
- University of Edinburgh
- University of Essex
- University of Glasgow
- University of Leicester
- University of Liverpool
- University of the West of England, Bristol (UWE)
- Wellcome Sanger Institute
Concordat supporters:
- Academy of Medical Sciences
- Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC)
- Department for the Economy, Northern Ireland (DfENI)
- Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges (EAUC)
- Royal Academy of Engineering
- Royal Society